Childrens Illustrated Animal Atlas

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Mohave desert tortoiseThis desert tortoise can live for up to 50 years. It digs a burrow to avoid the desert heat, and it spends 95 percent of its time there during the summer.

LocationThe Great Basin Desert is the farthest north of the western deserts. It’s followed by the Mojave, the Sonoran, and finally the Chihuahuan deserts.

PumaAlso called the cougar or mountain lion, this big cat hunts at night. It

is a fast runner, a good swimmer, and an excellent jumper

and climber.

MEXICO

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Ringtail

A relative of the raccoon, the ringtail can climb straight up cliffs, trees, and even prickly cacti!

Elf owl

Just 6 in (15 cm) tall, North America’s smallest owl plays dead if captured.

Costa’s

hummingbird

Western diamondback

rattlesnake

Each time a diamondback sheds its skin, it gets a new section added to its rattle.

Merriam’s

kangaroo rat

This big-footed rodent doesn’t need to drink water. It gets moisture from the seeds it eats instead.

Nine-banded

armadilloThe only armadillo living in North America, this animal has a great sense of smell.

Saguaro cactus

Sharp spines cover this tree-sized cactus to prevent animals from eating it.

Found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, this tiny bird slows down its heart rate to survive cold nights.

Greater

roadrunner

Roadrunners run up to 18

mph (

kph)

and are one of the few animals that eat rattlesnakes.

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Mexico City

HABITAT KEYTemperate grasslandsTropical grasslandsScrublandsMountainsCold desert

Coniferous forestsDeciduous forestsTropical forestsHot desert

SCALE

250 kilometers

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250 miles

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